Fabian Delph - Signed for Manchester City

[old man villa fan]

To come out and say "I can only apologise to the Villa fans weren't our day. see you in the new season" as recently as he did, would only add to the genuineness of his statement when he signed the contract.

There may well be a clause in the contract but it does not mean that he wants to leave or has to leave.

[KRS]

My understanding of this home grown rule is that they need to be squad players rather than starting XI, so in theory they could just use academy players in the squad rather than spending millions on other clubs English players...really doesn't make much business sense to do the latter unless a rule is introduced that a number of players in the starting XI need to be homegrown.

[passitsideways]

My understanding of this home grown rule is that they need to be squad players rather than starting XI, so in theory they could just use academy players in the squad rather than spending millions on other clubs English players...really doesn't make much business sense to do the latter unless a rule is introduced that a number of players in the starting XI need to be homegrown.

Isn't the rule for CL squads something like 25 players with a certain number of homegrown players? I think out of that 25 you'd want as many of them as possible to actually be capable of stepping in when required of them, as opposed to pure filler, which could be why Delph might be attractive: because you know at least that you could throw him in the fray and he'll provide energy and the occasional bit of magic going forward.

Then again, City have apparently poured tons of money into their academy, so you'd think their academy would have at least a couple of players who are ready to make the step up now.

[KRS]

Well as it stands, each PL club must have 8 players that qualify under the homegrown rules in their squad so spending millions on these players just to satisfy these rules really doesn't make much sense unless the criteria for starting XI comes into place.

"A home-grown player will be defined as one who, irrespective of his nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association or the Football Association of Wales for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday (or the end of the Season during which he turns 21)."

[paul_e]

My understanding of this home grown rule is that they need to be squad players rather than starting XI, so in theory they could just use academy players in the squad rather than spending millions on other clubs English players...really doesn't make much business sense to do the latter unless a rule is introduced that a number of players in the starting XI need to be homegrown.

Isn't the rule for CL squads something like 25 players with a certain number of homegrown players? I think out of that 25 you'd want as many of them as possible to actually be capable of stepping in when required of them, as opposed to pure filler.

Then again, City have apparently poured tons of money into their academy, so you'd think their academy would have at least a couple of players who are ready to make the step up now.

Which is the point really.  They need 8, they have 3 already, so I can see a couple of big signings who will be active in the first team (Stirling, Wilshere, maybe Delph) and then 2-3 players from their reserves making up numbers, it's the idea that they're buying these players because of their nationality first and foremost that I disagree with.  Look at their midfield options in the main squad, it's abysmally weak for a team that wants to compete in the CL so their first priority is improving the match day 18, filling out the rest of the squad is a much smaller need right now.

[Villa in Denmark]

My understanding of this home grown rule is that they need to be squad players rather than starting XI, so in theory they could just use academy players in the squad rather than spending millions on other clubs English players...really doesn't make much business sense to do the latter unless a rule is introduced that a number of players in the starting XI need to be homegrown.

Isn't the rule for CL squads something like 25 players with a certain number of homegrown players? I think out of that 25 you'd want as many of them as possible to actually be capable of stepping in when required of them, as opposed to pure filler, which could be why Delph might be attractive: because you know at least that you could throw him in the fray and he'll provide energy and the occasional bit of magic going forward.

Then again, City have apparently poured tons of money into their academy, so you'd think their academy would have at least a couple of players who are ready to make the step up now.

When we were linked with Richards, I stumbled across an interview with him, just after he'd gone to Italy, we he expressed the view that no matter how much they throw into the academy, unless they stumble across another Ronaldo or Messi you won't see academy players in their first team due to the pressure to get results straight away so there's no time for a youngster to learn.

[Matt Collins]

Chelsea and citeh must have spent more on their academies than anyone else. The only one to come through of late is matic. He had to leave to come back. Sturridge let both to get a break - and you can't tell me he's not better than remy or jovetic.

[PeterWithesShin]

I think EBJT is the last Chelsea academy player to have any kind of decent career with them. Matic was signed by Chelsea when he was 21.

[Dave]

My understanding of this home grown rule is that they need to be squad players rather than starting XI, so in theory they could just use academy players in the squad rather than spending millions on other clubs English players...really doesn't make much business sense to do the latter unless a rule is introduced that a number of players in the starting XI need to be homegrown.

Isn't the rule for CL squads something like 25 players with a certain number of homegrown players? I think out of that 25 you'd want as many of them as possible to actually be capable of stepping in when required of them, as opposed to pure filler.

Then again, City have apparently poured tons of money into their academy, so you'd think their academy would have at least a couple of players who are ready to make the step up now.

Which is the point really.  They need 8, they have 3 already, so I can see a couple of big signings who will be active in the first team (Stirling, Wilshere, maybe Delph) and then 2-3 players from their reserves making up numbers

One of those three that they have is already making up the numbers - Richard Wright isn't really going to see much first-team action. There's no point filling spaces in the 25 with players from their academy, anybody under the age of 21 can be used anyway without taking up space in the squad of 25.

The don't have any other "reserves" to make up the numbers as they literally don't have anybody else on their books who qualifies apart from Wright, Hart and Clichy.

They will either be signing five players who qualify as home-grown this summer or submitting a squad of less than 25 players. There isn't a third option.

[SoccerHQ]

My gut instinct is Delph will stay. I agree the seemingly low buyout clause is a concern but I don't see him leaving so not too worried whereas I still expect Benteke to leave.

Maybe I'll be wrong and it will be the other way round. Maybe we'll cope with that better as we've pretty much signed Gueye and are in for other attacking midfielders and Benteke would be near impossible to directly replace.

[Mister E]

I think he may well give it another season, to see how things pan out. There may well be more money for him if we get taken over, and - like Benteke - Villa gives him a place to play regular football before the Euros.
The logic for joining Citeh is nowhere near as strong other than £££.

[pauliewalnuts]

The logic for joining Citeh is nowhere near as strong other than £££.

Be honest, do you really believe that?

What about having a genuine chance of winning silverware?

In a team full of top class players?

I hate it as much as you do but to suggest it is just about money strikes me as nuts.

[paul_e]

My understanding of this home grown rule is that they need to be squad players rather than starting XI, so in theory they could just use academy players in the squad rather than spending millions on other clubs English players...really doesn't make much business sense to do the latter unless a rule is introduced that a number of players in the starting XI need to be homegrown.

Isn't the rule for CL squads something like 25 players with a certain number of homegrown players? I think out of that 25 you'd want as many of them as possible to actually be capable of stepping in when required of them, as opposed to pure filler.

Then again, City have apparently poured tons of money into their academy, so you'd think their academy would have at least a couple of players who are ready to make the step up now.

Which is the point really.  They need 8, they have 3 already, so I can see a couple of big signings who will be active in the first team (Stirling, Wilshere, maybe Delph) and then 2-3 players from their reserves making up numbers

One of those three that they have is already making up the numbers - Richard Wright isn't really going to see much first-team action. There's no point filling spaces in the 25 with players from their academy, anybody under the age of 21 can be used anyway without taking up space in the squad of 25.

The don't have any other "reserves" to make up the numbers as they literally don't have anybody else on their books who qualifies apart from Wright, Hart and Clichy.

They will either be signing five players who qualify as home-grown this summer or submitting a squad of less than 25 players. There isn't a third option.

The bold bit is the important bit, they could sign some of the top rated youngsters in europe to be the squad squad filler without having to name them in the 25.  By reserves I mean lads that have been there for a few years and not broken through but are moving out of the academy age group.  They may as well keep a few of those types of players around for now having backed themselves into a hole with the squad, if you need filler is it better to keep those guys or sign players like Sinclair who end up fed up and looking to get away?

I don't know the options they have but I think this idea that they'll 100% be going out to buy in 5 players to fill the quota just feels like bullshit to me but I've seen it used as justification for all kinds of nonsense rumours this summer.

[silhillvilla]

If he joins Ci£y I'd say his euro spot is in the line.

[Clampy]

If he joins Ci£y I'd say his euro spot is in the line.

I'm not sure about that. Milner got into every england squad whilst he was there.